Wrecking Ball
(Bonus Tracks)

At this point in his career, there's no avoiding Bruce-isms. Even the most ardent fan can spot them a mile away: the anguished growl, the sing-along anthems, the American Dream poetics. Despite calling too much attention to itself at times, Wrecking Ball is a marvel in sonic ambition. Using folk revivalism for a canvas, Springsteen paints a soundscape rich in rock 'n' roll, gospel, hip-hop, even electronica. The segue between "Swallowed Up (In the Belly of the Whale)" and "American Land," wherein ambient atmospherics give way to rollicking Irish glam, is Springsteen at his most audacious.